St. Lawrence Disaster.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 35, 2 June 1914, Page 5

St. Lawrence Disaster.

Wiio Was Responsible ? A NATION IN MGURMINC. STORIES OF SAD SCENES. WOMAN'S WARNING DREAM THEJR MAPESTSES* DONATSONS. THE IDENTIFICATION OF BODJES K Bt ElißOl'JilO TELEQaAPH—-CtoPYKIGKI [UNITiIJ PIiJESS AS3CCJA3'tON.« (Beceived 8.35 a.m.) London, June 1. The King has given £SOO nad the Queen £2oo to the Mansion House Fund for the Empress of Ireland disaster. Advices state that the bodies of Sir Seton Karr, Mrs Hyatt, Mrs H. W. Price (Both of New Zealand) and Miss G. Byre, of Brisbane, have been identified. "OUR OWN KITH AND KIN." (Received 8.0 a.m.) London, June 1. Bishop Byle, Dean of Westminster, preaching at the Abbey, said English people quivered under sucii a blow as the disaster, which was but an' enlargement on a terrible scale on the daily disasters by road, rail, aeroplane, and motor car. But this was more dreadful, because death and destruction was caused to hundreds' of their own kith and kin through no fault or foolhardinoss, in the protected waters of a river in the dead of night. CANCELLED PASSAGES. Quebec, June 1. Ensign and Mrs Smith cancelled their passages in the Empress of Ireland because of Mrs Smith's dream of another Titanic disaster. IDENTIFYING THE*GORPSES. Pitiful scenes were witnessed at the shed .where the corpses were bid out in plain pine coffins, thirty of whom were unidentified. Distrought women and heartbroken men searched for massing relatives. Mon-o'-warsmen carried the coffins ashore the procession down the gangway lasting for an hour. MOURNERS IN LONDON. London, June 1. The company's offices in London were again besieged all day long by a crowd of sorrowful enquirers. Every new list of names posted at the entrance was eagerly scanned during the afternoon.

The celebrated Silver Band, belonging to the Regent Hall branch of the Salvation Army, marched past, playing the hymn, "Eternal Father, Strong to Save." The band was accompanied by the New Zealand contingent who are attending the London Conference.

The company's officials stood at the doorwav with bowed heads.

Subsequently the Salvationists held a memorial meeting in the vicinity, New Zealanders addressing the mourn-

The Lord Mayor has opened a Mansion House fund for the victims' dependents, and invited the mayors throughout the United Kingdom to open funds. A convention in London, represent* ing two million Irish residents in Britain, offered their profoundest sympathy with the victims' dependents. CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS. Quebec, June 1. It is difficult to fix the responsibility for the Empress of Ireland disaster. There are many conflicting stories in circulation. Speaking at Toronto, Major Altwell, a Salvationist, said that he did not soo tho captain of the ship, nor did ho hoar any orders given. He saw no officers at any post. Others corroborated this statement. A survivor says the boat he clambered into had fifty people in it. The davit ropes were folded. The people were sitting on the oars, so rowing was impossible. Ho saw the stem of tho vessel rise and the bow drop. The vessel gave a hiss and a gurgle and then sank. Some of tho passengers when roscued went crazy. Tho balance of the ovidonco suggests that tho best traditions of tho race were not dishonored. There was confusion, panic and frenzy, but over all there was exhibited concern for the weak, self-sacrifico, splendid patience and endurance. The steamer Lady Grey has arrived with 176 bodies. THE PUBLIC SAFETY. Sydney, June 1. Sir 11. E. Mumo-T'orguson (Gover-nor-General) and tho State Governors cabled their sympathy to Canada. Mr Holman (Premier of New South Wales), referring to the disaster, said lie supposed that the enquiry would end in the condemnation of some unfortunate second mate or seaman. There \\»\M be no safety to the tra • yelling public uutii the directors o?

companies, which send 1500 people to sea in a ship capable of destruction m fifteen minutes, were put on their irral as accessories to a charge of manslaughter. He hoped the Canadian Government would deal with the calamity in that spirit. He wis not saying 'they were innocent or guilty. The calamity may have been a mere act of God, but if it were due to human failing the people who made. money by gambling in human lives ought to be punished. A WRIT FOR DAMAGES. Montrea*, e»mie 1. The Storstadt has arrived. The Canadian Pacific Company has issued a writ against Captain Andresen for two million dollars damages. The seamen of the Storstadt say that Captain Andresen was not on duty at the time of the collision. The Storstadt was ordered astern before striking. GOVERNMENTAL INVESTIGATION Ottawa, June, 1. The Government has ordered an investigation into the disaster in conjunction with the British Board of Trade. The Government appointed Captain Lindsay, superintendent of the St. Lawrence pilots, to hold a preliminary investigation with the object of securing "the survivors' declarations. '' A NEW ZEALftNDER SAFE. / [Pint Press Association.] Christchurch, June 1. Fears for the safety of a well-known Xew Zoalauder, Mr Leslie Lilley, who, it was thought, was a passenger by the Empress of Ireland, were set at rest yesterday by the receipt of a cable message sent by him from Montreal to his brother, Mr Arthur Lilley, late organist at St. Luke's Church Christchurch, stating that ho was prevented by business arrangements from joining the steamer last Friday, as lie had intended. RESOLUTIONS OF SYMPATHY. Christchurch Juno 1. At the Christchurch • Methodist Ministers' Association meeting this morning, 23 members being present, the following resolution was carried: That this meeting of Christchurch Methodist Ministers' Association express its deepest regret at the loss of life involved in the wreck of the s.s. Empress' of Ireland in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and hereby commends to God's sustaining grace all those to whom this wreck has brought sore bereavement.

At tho samo meeting a resolution was passed expressing deep sympathy with the local members of the Salvation Army in tho loss of their comrades, and praying that tho bereavement may bo sanctified by tho consolation of tho Holy Spirit to a widor extension of the Kingdom of Christ. NEMESIS ! STORSTAD'S CRIM VENGEANCE FOR LOSS OF SISTER SHIP. The Storstad is a sister ship to the collier Helvetia, sunk by the Canadian-Pacific Company's Empress of Britain not far from the samo spot on the St. Lawrence in July, 1912. Tho Empress of Ireland was a sister ship to tho Empress of Britain, then dimensions being identical in every particular. Tho two ships were, in fact, built side by side in the Fairfield yards, tho "Britain" being "Ireland" two months later. IRVINC'S LAST THOUGHTS FOR HIS WIFE. LIVERPOOL FUND £15,000. (Received 12.15 p.m.) London, June 1. News has been received that Trving's body drifted ashore. Tho face was unrecognisable, and one hand was clutching a piece of his wife's night attire. The fund being raised in Liverpool has reached £15,000. VICTORIA'S SYMPATHY. (Received 9.20 a.m.) Melbourne, Juno 2. The Governor cabled to the Secretary of Stato for tho Colonies: "Will you convey to Canada Australia's deepest sympathy with her sister Dominion, and with the relatives of thoso who perished In tho ternblo shipping disaster. THE STORSTAD Tho Storstad which rammed and sank tho Empress of Ireland, was a big cargo steamer of GO2B tons gross and 3561 tons net register, her dimensions being: Length, 440 ft; beam, (,58.1ft; deptli of hold. 24.6 ft, She is 'a comparatively new si earner, having boon built iu 1910 by Messrs Arm-

strong, Whitworth and Co., Ltd., at Newcastlc-on'-Tyrie, England. She flew the Norwegian flag, her/owners being Messrs A. P. Klaveness and Co., Christiana, Norway, who control 23 largo cargo steamers. The master of the Storstadt was Captain M. A. Andresen. ARRANGEMENTS FOR A PUBLIC FUNERAL. (Received 12.20 p.m.) Ottawa, Juno 1. The Canadian-Pacific Company is arranging a public funeral for the dead. DISASTERS OF THE PAST. The following list gives tho most serious disasters in the past forty years:— Lives Lost 1913—Volturno, British sieamer burned during raid-Atlantic storm ... ••• ■•• 130 1912—Titanic, British steamer, foundered' off Capo Race after colliding with iceberg 1503 1910_Ge.ncral Chanzy, French steamer,' wrecked off Minorca 200 1909—-Wafatah, British steamer .disappeared off Natal coast 31-1 1908—Katsu Maru sunk in collision near Hakodate ... 300 190 G Sirio, Italian emigrant ship, wrecked off South America ••• ••• "50 1901—General Sloeum, hurned in Ea,st River,. Long Island, Now York 1000 1898—Jin ißourgoyne, French liner, sunk in collision, Nova Scotia ... ••• 545 IS96—Drummond Castle, wrecked off' TJshant, English Channor ... ••• ••• *•*' 1895 Reir.a Regente, Spanish cruiser, sunk off Gape Trafalgar 40n 1895—Kibe, North German Lloyd steamer in collision off Lowestoft ••• ••■ 33' 1892 Nanchow, British steamer foundered in Chineso waters 509 1891—Utopia, British steamers, in collision in Bay of Gibraltar ... ••• .-• 364 1883—Cimbria, steamer, sunk off Holland coast 451 1878—Princess Alice, excursion steamer in collision in Thames ... ••• ••• 70 ° 187 G—Great Queensland, sunk through explosion near Fin. '• • " KfiQ istorre ... ••• ••■ OUJ 1871—Cospatrick, emigrant, ship burned near St. Helena ... 470 1873—Atlantic • steamer of White Star Company, struck rock on way to Halifax '. - 560